Motor vehicle



Feb. 21, 1928.

F'IEJ.

Original Filed May 18. 1921 a sheets-sheet 1 a5 Am Feb. 21-, 1928. V R.B. FAGEOL MOTOR VEHICLE' Original Filed May 18, 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 2'Feb. 21, 1928.

R. B. FAGEOL MOTOR VEHICLE Original Filed May 18. 1921 a hets-sheet 3 .uUHk.

Patented Feb." 21, 1928.

UNITED STA TES' PATENT OFFICE.

BOLLIE B. FAGEOL, 01'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO EIGHT WHEEL CALIFORNIA.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

Original application filed May 18, 1921,

The inventionrelates to motor vehicles and particularly to motorvehicles of the type having two driving axles arranged one behind theother at the rear end otthe velnele, and the present application is acontinuation' in part of copending applicatlon S. N. 470,627, filed May18, 1921.

An object of the invention 1s to provide means 'for causing the torqueimposed at one axle to oppose that imposed at the other axle.

Another object of the invention is to provide resilient means connectingthe two axles together and to the frame in combination with means forpreventing individual relative rotational movement of the respectiveaxles while permitting relative separational movement of the axles'andrelative angular movement of the axles in the vertical planes of theirrespectlve axes Another object of the invention 18 to provide a flexiblefour-wheeled truck comprisgeous features, .some of which I lowingdescription, where ing two driving axles, one arranged behind the other,in which the axles are held 1n their proper relation with respect toeach other, while at the same time permitting relative separationalmovement of' the axles and relative angular movement of the axles in thevertical planes of their respective axes.

The invention possesses other advantawith the foregoing, will be setforth at length in the 't'ol- I shall outline in full that form of myinvention which I have selected for illustration in the drawingsaccompanying and forming part of the present specification. In saiddrawings I have shown several different forms of four-wheeled dr1vingtrucks embodying my invention but 1t 15 to be understood that I do notlimit myself to such form, since the invention as set forth in theclaims, may be embodied in a plurality of other forms.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the rear end of a motorvehicle equipped with the driving mechanism of my invention, one-half ofthe sectlon showing the spring connection between one of the drivingaxle housings and the vehicle frame and the other half of the sectionshowing the Serial no. 470,627. Divided and this application filedOctober 13, 1924. Serial No. 743,201.

means employed to neutralize the torque of the two axle housings.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on a larger scale, of thetorque neutralizing means.

. Figure 3 is a plan view of the two axle housings and the connectingtorque neutral- I .izing means.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the central portions of the two drive axlehousings showing a modified form of torque neutralizing means.

Figure 5 is a vertical section through one of the axlehousings shown inFigure' l and through a portion ofthe torque neutralizing means. 7

My invention relates to motor vehicles having two or more drive axlehousings arranged one behind the other at the rear end of the vehicle.The torque of the two housings, due to the driving force, is inthe same,rotational direction so that the adjacent sides of the two housingstend to move in opposite directions. The purpose of the presentinvention is to provide means for causing the torque of one housingv tooppose that of the other housing. In accordance with my invention, Iaccomplish this result without interfering with the separationalmovement of the two housings, caused by variation in the fiexure' of thesprings connecting the housings and without preventing relative angularmovement of the housings in the vertical planes oftheir respective axes.This provides a very flexiblefo'ur-wheeled truck which readily passesover rough roads or obstructions or depressions inroads withoutsubjecting the axle housings, the springs or the vehicle frame todeleterious strain.

In Figure 1 I have shown the rear end of a motor-vehicle equipped withthe devices of my invention. Disposed below the rear end of the vehicleframe 2' are two drive axle housings 3 and 4, the housing 4 beingpositioned behind the housing 3 and being normally parallel thereto.Each axle housing is provided at its center with a hell 5 in which isdisposed the drive gear and the diiferential gears, to which the driveaxle shafts 6 are connected. The shafts 6 are connected at their ends towheels 7 which are journalled on the ends of the axle hous- 28 which isformed integral with the outer ings 3 and 4. Power is delivered to therear tube 29. The tube 29 is thus Connected to axle drive shafts by thepropeller shaft 8 the front axle housing 3 by a vertical pivot, and theintermediate shaft 9 extending from so that the tube 29 is free to swingtransthe front axle housin 3 into the rear axle versely only withrespect to the axle housing 70 housing 4. The shaft 9 is provide-d with3. The tube 29 has a cylindrical inner sursuitable universal joints 12and with a slip face, and arranged within the tube and formjoint 13 toaccommodate the separational ing a slidable and rotatable jointtherewith movement of the housings and the relative is an inner tube 31which is provided on its angular movement of the housings in the endwith a yoke 32 through which extends 75 vertical planes of theirrespective axes. Sethe vertically disposed pin 33 which passes cured toeach axle housing adjacent each end through the bearin member 25. hetubes thereof is a spherical zonal bearing member 31 and 29 are in telescopic engagement and,

14 and a spring mounting 15 is journalled on due to the close fit of thetube 31 in the 15 each bearing member. Due to the spherical tube 29, thetelescopic structure is rigid so form of the bearing member, the springagainst lateral strain. The telescopic movemounting has a universalmovement with rement of the two parts permits relative sepaspect to thehousing, so that movement of the rational movement of the two axlehousings housing will not introduce strains into the 3 and 4 and thejournalling of the tube 31 springs. The two spring mountings on the inthe tube 29 permits relative angular move- 85 same side ofthe frame areconnected together ment of one housing in the vertical plane by leafsprings 16 and 17, the springs being of its axis with respect to theother housing. preferably substantially flat and being pivot- Thetelescopic structure prevents rotational ed at their ends to the springmountings. The movement of one housing with respect to the spring 16 isconnected t it nds t the two other and causes the torque imposed at one00 spring mountings on the same side of the axle to oppose that imposedat the other frame, above the axle housings, and the axle, so that thetorques are neutralized. spring 17 is connected at its ends to the Thecontacting faces of the tubes 29 and spring mountings below the axlehousings. 31 are kept clean and lubricated by, the felt The springs arespaced apart at their centers ring 34 contacting with the outer surfaceof" 95 by a bearing'bloclr 18 and the springs are the tube 31. Saidouter surface is further suitably clamped to the bearing block bymaintained clean and free of dirt by a flexibolts 19. This arrangementof springs and l h II mg 37 surrounding the pro ect1ng spring mountinprevents t ti f th portion of the tube 31 and being secured at 85 springmountings with respect to each other, Its opposite ends to the tube 29and the yoke we the vertical axes of the spring mountings portlon 32 ofthe tube 31. being always substantially parallel. The In Flgules 4 and 5I have Shown a modibearin block 18 is journalled on about trunfied ormof Construction, in which the m n 5 ft 19 secured to or unt d in thmechanism of my invention is applied to 40 vehicle frame, so that thetruck formed by nd r axles- Such miles are provided r the two pairs ofsprings 16 and 17 and the with central bells 5 and I have provided twoaxle housings 3 and 4 may oscillate clamps, engageable with the axlehousings about the shafts 19. This provides extreme n ppo te ides of thebells and spanning flexibility of the truck and prevents the inthebells, to provide bearings for the teletroduction of deleterious strainsinto the SCOPiG tube- In hi c I1 11 i 1, SiI1that 11 springs or vehicleframe, as the vehicle moves just described, the axis of the telescopictube over an uneven road. is in alinement with the centers of the two nare provided for causing the torque axles but this construction is notessential, imposed on one axle housing to oppose that since the tube maybe placed to one side or imposed on the other axle housing, so that theother of the center line of the vehicle the torque of the two housingsis neutralframe and it is not essential that it be placed lzed. Referrinparticularly to the strucmidway between the ends of the axles. The

, tures shown in igures 1, 2 and 3, the front bearing supporting membercomprises two axlehousing 3 is provided at its center and U-shapedclamps 41-42 which are secured 55 on the back face thereof with a bossor bearto the axle housing by bolts 43, one clamp mg member 21. lyingabove and the other lying below the The bearing member 21 is secured tothe housing. The bolts are disposed on opposite hell 5 of the front axlehousing 3 by capsides of the central hell 5 and the U-shaped screws23-and is provided with avertically members span the bell, the memberclamped 60 disposed bearingvsurfaoe 24. The bell 5 of to thefront axlehousing 3 being disposed the rear axle housing 4 is similarly providedbehind the bell and the member clamped to with a bearing member'25having a vertithe rear axle housing 4 bein disposed in c ally disposedbearing' surface 26. Di osed front of the bell. Each clamping member is1n; the bearing member 21 is a vertic pin provided with a bearingsupport in which is 27, which passes through holes theyoke disposed asteep angle roller bearing 44, the

- frame so that the axles are cap rotate the housings a inner race ofthe bearing being adjustable by the screw 46, so that any wear of thebearings may be readily taken up. Journalled on the bearings in the-U-shaped member secured to the front axle housing 3 is a tube 4.7 whichis in telescopic engagement with a tube a8 which is connectedto theU-shaped member clamped to the rear axle housing 4 in the same manner asthe tube 47 is connected to the U-shaped member associated with thefront axle housing 3. This moditied form of telescoping tube mountingpresents all of the advantages of the structure shown in Figure 2 and atthe same time provides for the application of this invention to standardaxles.

I claim: r

1. A road vehicle includin a frame, tandem axles, housin s for saiaxles, springs connecting the a es and said frame, said springs beingpivotally attached to said able of substantial independent bodilyswinging movement relative to the frame about the spring pivots andmovement toward and other due to spring deflection, torque resistirigmeans separate from said rings de" signed to prevent the'rotation o thehousings about the axles, said last named means being extensible andflexible except in sub stantially vertical planes to permit the sub--stantially unrestricted movement of the axles incident to theirconnection to the frame, while" rigidly resistin the torque tending toout the 2. A road vehicle including a. frame, tandem axles, housings forsaid axles, springs interconnecting the axles and the frame, saldsprings being pivotally attached to said frame and connected to saidaxles so that the axles are capable of substantial independent bodilyswinging movement relative to the frame about the spring pivots, saidaxles being free of restricting connections preventing movement of theaxles toward and from each other due to spring deflection, torqueresisting means extending between said housings, said means beingextensible endwise, and flexible except in substantially -ertieallongitudinal planes, whereby the reactions due to the driving torque areresisted independently of said springs without substantially restrictingthe movement of the axles incident to their connection to the a frame.

3. A road vepicle including a frame, randem driven ax es, housings forsaid axles,

from each means for 'driving said axles, said means ineluding anextensible and flexible shaft extending between said housings, springsinterconnecting the axles and the frame, said springs being pivotallyattached to said frame and connected to said axles so that the axles arecapable of substantial independent. bodily swinging movement relative tothe frame about the spring pivots, torque resisting means extendingbetween sald housings, said means being extensible endwise and flexibleexcept in substantially vertical longitudinal planes, whereby saidtorque resistlng means maintains the axis of said flexible shaftsubstantially in alignment.

4. A road vehicle including a frame, tandem driven axles, housin s forsaid axles, springs pivotally connecte to said frame and housings, saidsprings causing upon deflection movement of one housin toward or awayfrom the other, torque resisting means between said housings, said lastnamed means centrally comprising a link pivoted at its opposite ends tosaid housings on vertical pivots. and including two elements relatlvelyrotatable about the longitudinal axis of the link, said link beingextensible and contractible to permit the movement of the axles incidentto their connection to the frame.

5. A road vehicle including a frame, tandem axles, housin connecting theax springs being pivotally attached to said frame so that the axles arecapable of sub stantial independent bodily swmging movement relative tothe frame about the spring pivots and movement toward and from eachother due to spring deflection, torque resisting means separate fromsaid s rings d signed to prevent the rotation o the housings about theaxles, saidlast named means comprising a link pivoted to the housings onvertical pivots, said link being composed of two elements slidableendwise of each other and rotatable relative to each other about thelongitudinal axis of the link, said link being rigid to forces tendingto rotate the housings about the axles, whereby the torque reactions areresisted without substantially restricting any of the movements of theaxles permitted by their connection to the frame.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set s for said axles, springs 1 myhand.

ROLLIE B. FAGEOL.

es and said frame, said-

